Curtain stretcher



March 4, 1952 K. J. UNWIN CURTAIN STRETCHER 2 SHEETS--SI-IEET l Filed Nov. 22, 1946 5 6 d J. J/ ft A. MM www My W ,m 7g W. .5 7 .uw i i /fw .e W 5 v www@ x 5 n w March 4, 1952 K. J. UNWIN CURTAIN STRETCHER 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Nov. 22, 1946 JNVENTOR fama/ y I m/f Patented Mar. 4, 1 952 assasaz CURTAIN s'rRETcHEn Kenneth J. Unwin, Kenosha, Wis., assignor, by

mesne assignments. to" Quaker Stretcher Company, Kenosha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application November 22, 1946, Serial No. 711,739

This invention relates to curtain stretchers of the zipper type wherein a shuttle or like member adapted to slide along the rails of a stretcher 3 Claims. Cl. 45-24) causes the edges of the curtain to be caught by the fastening devices that are mounted on these rails.

A general object of the invention is to simplify the manufacture and reduce the cost of the stretchers while retaining the advantages of prior construction thereof.

A further object is to provide an improved curtain stretcher of the aforesaid type in which the curtain fastening devices have hooked ends for holding the curtain against the rail, and wherein a longitudinal groove is formed in the rail to accommodate the hooked ends of the fastening devices.

A still further object is to enable the fastening devices to be mounted on a curtain stretcher rail merely by clamping them between separable portions of the rail.

Still another object is to provide an improved adjustable end bar and holding means therefor. such holding means comprising a pair of clamps respectively adapted to embrace the top and bottom rails of the stretcher and having lugs which` cooperate with portions of the end bar to retain the bar firmly in its position of use.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a certain preferred embodiment isset forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 shows, in elevation, a curtain stretcher I Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of a rail and the curtain fastening devices mounted thereon;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of a curtain fastening device;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section along the line I-l in Fig. 4, also showing the shuttle in its position of use;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8--8 in Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the shuttle.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the stretcher comprises top and bottom rails l0 and I I and end rails I2 and I3, respectively. Legs I4 hinged respectively to the end rails I2 and I3 support the stretcher in the position shown. The top rail IU and bottom rail II are attached at their ends to therails I2 and I3 by clamps I5 and I6 or in any other suitable manner. The rails I0 and II are hinged at their midportions, as indicated at I8 and 20, so that the rails I0 and II may be bent slightly toward each other when a curtain is being attached to the frame and then straightened to stretch the curtain taut. A slotted spreader bar Z2 depending from the rail Ill is attached to the rail I Il by a thumb screw 24 which is tightened to hold the rails I and II in their straightened positions. An adjustable end bar 26, constituting one of the features of the invention, is adapted to be inserted in a hem of the curtain and is disposed substantially in vertical position between the top and bottom rails I0 and II. The other three edges of the curtain are attached to the rails I9, II and I2 in a manner which will be explained presently, and the location of the bar 2G is adjusted horizontally in accordance with the length of the curtain.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the upper end of the bar 26 has a blunt point 28 to facilitate insertion of this bar in the hem of the curtain. For holding the bar 2B in its adjusted position there are provided a clamp 30 on the top rail IIJ and a clamp 32 on the bottom rail Il. The clamp 3U includes plates or jaws 34 and 36 which partially embrace the upper rail Ill. A shouldered tongue 38 bent out from the plate 34 is received in an aperture in the plate 36 and serves as a fulcrum on which the plates 34 and 35 pivot. A wing nut 4i) and bolt 42 enable the plates 34 and 36 to be squeezed together against the upper and, lower edges of the rail I0. A horizontally extending tongue 44 of the plate 34 is inserted in a suitable opening near the upper end of the bar 26. Lugs 4E and 48 gent down from the front end of the plate 34 overhang the upper edge of the rail I0 on either side of the bar 26. A lug 50 bent up from the forward edge of the plate 3E is adapted to grip the front face of the rail I0 on one side of lthe bar 26.

The lower clamp 32 comprises two plates or jaws 52 and 54 which partially embrace the lower rail I I. A shouldered tongue 56 bent out from the plate 54 is received in an aperture in the plate 52 and serves as a fulcrum on which the plates 52 and 54 pivot. A wing nut 58 and bolt 69 are provided to draw the plates 52 and 54 together and thereby grip the rail I I. Forwardly projecting fingers 62 and 64, offset downwardly from the upper edge of the plate 32, are disposed on either side of the vertical bar 26 and are slightly hooked at their outer ends to hold the bar 26 against the front face of rail II. A lug 66 bent up from the front edge of the plate 54 is adapted to grip the front face of the rail I I on one side of the bar 26.

The rails I9, II and I2 are provided respectively with rows of fastening devices 68, Figs. 4 and 5, having hooked portions 19 that are adapted to catch the edge portions of a curtain C as shown in Fig. 6. It is not necessary to provide the rail I3 with fastening devices as 66, because of the mannerv in which the curtain is attached to the stretcher with its hem held by the bar 26, although there may be instances in which it would be desirable to provide the rail I3 with these fastening devices.

Each fastening device 68 is formed preferably as illustrated in Fig. 5. As there shown, a suitable length of resilient wire is bent into a U-shape at its midportion as indicated at 12. At the ends of the U the wire is looped several times to form coil springs 14. The ends of the Wire then are extended from the coils 14 and are formed to provide the hooks 19 having pointed ends 1 I.

The bight 12 of each fastening device 68 is placed between two longitudinally extending separable portions of a rail such as the rail I9, Figs. 4 and 6. These separable portions consist of a rail member 16 and a strip 16 secured thereto by suitable fastening means such as the screws 89. Preferably each screw 69 is so located that it serves to anchor a fastening device 68 by passing through the bight I2 thereof. The bight 12 is held between the strip 18 and a rib 82 on the adjacent edge of the member 16. The coils 14 of the fastening device 68 are seated in a rabbet 84 deiined in the forward face of the member 26 adjacent the rib 82. A lip 66 along the forward edge of the strip 18 over-hangs the `coils 14 to maintain them firmly seated in the rabbet 84. Another lip 88 along the rear edge of the strip 18 interlocks with the rib 62 on the member 16. The hooks 19 normally lie against an oblique surface 90 on the forward face of the member 16.

In accordance with the invention, the pointed ends 1I of the hooks 19 are received in a groove 92, Figs. 4 and 6, which is provided in the forward face of the member 16 extending longitudinally thereof. The elastic force of the coiled springs 14 normally serves to maintain the hook ends 1I in the groove 92. In order to fasten an edge of the curtain C to the stretcher rail as' Il), each hook 19 is moved outwardly against the action of its spring 14, and the edge portion of the curtain C is disposed between such hook 19 and the member 16 so as to cover the groove 92 as shown in Fig. 8. The hooks 19 then are released so that the springs 14 restore these hooks, thereby causing the points 1I to penetrate the curtain material and pass into the groove 92 as shown in Fig. 6, whereby the curtain C is pinned to the rail.

The shuttle 94, Figs. 7, 8 and 9, which constitutes a further feature of this invention, is employed by the user of the curtain stretcher to effect retraction of the hooks 19 from the member 16 and return of the hooks 10 into curtain gripping position. The shuttle is shaped so that it may be conveniently grasped by hand and moved along the rail. A cam plate 96 of metal or other suitable material carried by the shuttle 94 is adapted to slide along a groove 98 formed in the oblique face 99 of the rail member 16 in back of the hooks 19. A shoe I69 extending from the shuttle 94 is pressed against the curtain C adjacent the groove 92, which thus is disposed between the shoe I99 and the cam plate 96. As the cam plate 96 is moved along the groove 98, the hooks 19 successively ride on the cam surface of plate 96, being moved to a maximum extent away from the rail member 16 and then being returned as the cam plate 96 advances past the hooks. As each hook 19 returns, the point 1I thereof pierces the curtain C and enters the groove 92, thereby securely pinning the curtain C to the rail as I0. The foot IIlIl of the shuttle 94 keeps the ,curtain C pressed against the member 16 while the hooks I9 are being retracted and restored. The foot |69 and cam plate 96 are adjustably attached to the shuttle 94, being carried respectively by a plate I92 and an arm |94, both having slots therein through which a bolt |96 is passed, a wing nut E98 being threaded on the bolt |96. The arm |94 is shaped so that a portion of it extends parallel to the front face of the rail as I9 from the foot |99 to the cam plate 96, bridging the groove 92 and passing beneath the retracted points 1I of hooks I9.

In attaching a curtain to the stretcher, a corner of the curtain is attached to a corner of the stretcher such as the junction between the rails I9 and I2, Figi 1. This may be done either by manipulating the hooks at this corner of the stretcher or by providing a special finger (not shown) on the rail I9 orl I2 for this purpose. An edge portion of the curtain C is held against the rail I9, and the shuttle 64 is pressed against the curtain and the rail while the cam plate 96 is moved in back of the first few hooks 16. The shuttle 94 then is moved along the rail I9, causing the hooks 'I9 to move outwardly past the edge of the curtain C and then return into curtain engaging position. In this way the curtain is attached to the rail I9. In a similar manner another edge portion of the curtain is attached to the rail I2. The end bar 26 is slipped through the hem on the left side of the curtain, as viewed in Fig. l, and is held by the clamps 36 and 32 which are positioned on theI rails I9 and II in accordance with the length of the curtain. The lower end of the bar 23 is slipped down between the ngers 62 and 64, Fig. 2, of the clamp 32 on rail II, and the upper end of the bar 26 is hung on the tongue 44 of the clamp 39. The shuttle 94 then is employed to attach the lower edge of the curtain to the rail Il in a similar manner. If required, eithei` or both of the rails I6 and II can be bent at their hinges I8 and 26 to facilitate attaching a shrunken curtain to the rail II, the rails I9 and I I being then straightened and held in such straight positions by the bar 22 and thumb screw 24. The curtain now is attached along all four edges thereof to the stretcher.

In removing the curtain from the stretcher, the shuttle 94 is employed again to effect retraction of the hooks III. A slight pull on the curtain as the hooks are retracted will suffice to withdraw the edge portion of the curtain for clearing the hooks 19 when they are returnedto their normal portions. The shuttle 9d .is moved yalong each of the rails I9, I I and I2 in this manner for detaching the corresponding edges ofthe curtain from these rails, and the bar 26 is slipped out of the curtain hem.

From' the foregoing it will be appreciated that the ative stated objects of the invention have been fulfilled. Thus, for instance, the former tedious and exacting operation of providing a plurality of holes in the rail to receive the pointed ends of the curtain hooks is eliminated by pr'ovidingfa novel rail construction having a single slot 92 that is easily and quickly formed in the,`

rail tireplace the row of holes heretofore regardedf as necessary. It has been found that the curtain is held substantially as securely by the illustrated arrangement as it would be in the` prior :type of stretcher. devices 68, instead of being disposed in individual slots lwhich were formed by a time-consuming and relatively expensive operation upon the rail, are mounted on the rail simply by being clamped-"- between a rail member as 16 and a strip as 18,` Figs. 4 and 6. The novel formation of the fasten` ing devices B8 enables them to be produced,

cheaply while insuring that they will be highly- The shuttle 94 is ofjV simpler construction than was heretofore deemed,

dependable in service.

practicable, and its production cost is correspond-A inglyglower. The arrangement including the ald-l* ,instable end bar 23 for holding the curtain by vits hem likewise is characterized by the advantages of simplicity and dependability. Furthermore, it;- enables the bar 26 to be clamped at any selected point-,fon the rails I0 and l I instead of at oneof several arbitrarily pre-selected positions, the latter'fbeing a drawback of prior curtain stretcligj ers wherein the end bar carried pins that fitted; in hdles afforded in the top and bottom rails. j

While there has been illustrated and describedv a selected embodiment of the invention, it will be*A understood that various modifications may be madeltherein. Hence, I desire that the inventicqri` be construed to include all embodiments thereofcoming within the spirit and scope of the append? ed cl'faims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows: L

1. In a curtain stretcher, a rail including tw longitudinally extending adjoining members, ifa

row of resilient fastening devices having anchr portions disposed between said members, screws interconnecting said members, the anchor portions of said fastening devices being looped The curtain fastening 5 around said screws, and said fastening devices extending from the anchor portions thereof to lie normally against the face of said rail, pointed hooks on the free ends of said fastenin.gdevices, said rail having a groove therein for receiving said hooks. and a shuttle slidable along said rail having a member adapted to cooperate with said fastening devices for moving said hook out of said groove and then permitting said fastening devices to be restored for enabling said4 li'oks to re-enter said groove. fr

2. In a curtain stretcher, the combination comprising a rail including two longitudinally extending separable members. curtain fastening devices. each comprising a wire of resilient` material having an anchor portion clamped jbtween said rail members, a coil spring adjacent said anchor portion, said wireextending fram said coil spring and normally being urged thereby against a face of said rail, said rail havin a rst longitudinally extending groove therein Adisposed behind and transverse to the portions'of said fastening devices adjacent said face, hOOkSQlOn the ends of said fastening devices, said railfhaving a. second groove therein to receive said hooks, a shuttle having a foot portion slidable along said rail, said second groove being intermediate said foot portion and said first groove, a cam plate carried by said shuttle adapted to trave n said first groove, and a supporting arm for said cam plate extending angularly from said footlportion and disposed across said second groove, said cam plate being effective rst to move said hooks successively out of said second groove and tlien permit said hooks successively to re-enter said second groove as said shuttle is moved along the rail. l

3. The combination set forth in claim 2,'wherein said foot portion is unyieldingly attached to said shuttle and is adapted to press thewcurtain or like article against said rail as it is being attached thereto by said fastening devices.

KENNETH J. UNWIN,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: '"f-:f 

